PASTRIES & VARIATIONS: Danish pastry is one of the most popular pastries there is. To be able to make it at home is very satisfying, even though it involves some trial and error, practise and patience,

BASIC DANISH PASTRY DOUGH:

 

 

 

4 to 4 ½ cups all purpose flour                                   

1 cup warm milk at 110 degrees F

1 tsp. sugar                                                                 

¼ cup butter

½ tsp. salt                                                                    

1 egg, room temperature

4 tbsp. butter melted                                                   

1 pkg. active dry yeast                                    

1 cup butter, soften slightly

 

 

 

Stir sugar into warm milk. Sprinkle with yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 minutes to proof yeast. Stir down after 10 minutes. Leave to stand another 5 minutes.

 

Into the bowl of a standing mixer with dough hook attached, and set at speed 2, swirl 4 cups flour and the salt together for a few seconds. With machine running, pour in warm yeast mixture, egg and butter. Knead dough, adding the rest of flour gradually until the dough clings to the hook and leaves the mixing bowl clean. Knead dough for 2 more minutes.

 

Remove dough and transfer it to a greased bowl. Turn dough over to cover with oil. Cover with towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk.

 

Punch the dough down and transfer it to a floured surface. Let rest, covered with towel, for 20 minutes. 

 

Roll dough out to a 14 x 8-inch rectangle. Mark into 3 sections along the longer length. Dot half the butter over the top 2 sections. Fold bottom section over middle section and fold top section down over this. Press edges to seal. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Turn dough ¼-inch once in a counter-clockwise direction and roll out to 14 x 8-inch again. Dot dough, using the rest of the butter, in the same way as described above. Seal edges well and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

Repeat the rolling out and folding process once more without butter. Refrigerate.

 

The dough is now ready to be used in various recipes as needed.